Does being a veteran give you an advantage when applying for jobs?

Bethany Duffy — Thu, 21 Jan 2016 10:41:26 -0500

Are there certain expectations when a veteran applies for a job opposed to a civilian? There are numerous reasons to hire a veteran but do you think your background in the military puts you at an advantage or maybe a disadvantage when looking for a job?

http://nhlearningsolutions.com/Blog/tabid/145/ArtMID/16483/ArticleID/1930/Default.aspx

7 Reasons Why Companies Hire Veterans

7 Reasons Why Companies Hire Veterans Why do companies hire veterans? It is your work ethic that you bring to the table when you leave the service environment. There are a few key items to keep fresh as you make your military-to-civilian transition. Below are seven reasons why you’ll get hired as a veteran and what companies expect when they hire a veteran. Do you have these qualities? 1. Trust Itgoes without saying that military members will...

Response by SGT Larry Prentice made Jan 21 at 2016 10:44 AM

SGT Larry Prentice — Thu, 21 Jan 2016 10:44:27 -0500

I think it depends on the culture of the company. If the company has hired vets then yes, it will help you. If they havent, they may not understand your mindset.

Response by Sgt David G Duchesneau made Jan 21 at 2016 11:26 AM

Sgt David G Duchesneau — Thu, 21 Jan 2016 11:26:15 -0500

It did for me because when I came back from Vietnam as a Combat Sergeant in the Marine Corps, I applied for a position with the State Police. There were over 200 applicants that applied and they had five openings. I got picked because of my Military training and background! My Military background payed off then and still is today! Thank you Uncle Sam!

Response by SFC Private RallyPoint Member made Jan 21 at 2016 11:48 AM

SFC Private RallyPoint Member — Thu, 21 Jan 2016 11:48:59 -0500

From my own personal experience I have to say no.

Response by Maj Chris Nelson made Jan 21 at 2016 12:40 PM

Maj Chris Nelson — Thu, 21 Jan 2016 12:40:57 -0500

Much of any advantage is going to be situational driven. A company that has large contracts to DoD is more likely to hire veterans. A company that is owned/staffed by Berkley Grads (often referred to as tree huggers) may be LESS likely to hire a military vet. Often what it comes down to is how the Veteran presents him/herself. Also of import is what experience you have, what the company is looking for, and how you can convey or communicate your experience in words that are understood.

Response by PO2 Private RallyPoint Member made Jan 21 at 2016 12:41 PM

PO2 Private RallyPoint Member — Thu, 21 Jan 2016 12:41:09 -0500

It depends on where. It gave me a advantage applying for a government job.

Response by LTC Private RallyPoint Member made Jan 21 at 2016 12:43 PM

LTC Private RallyPoint Member — Thu, 21 Jan 2016 12:43:48 -0500

My experience is that it was no advantage in getting hired. In fact, I would say it was a disadvantage as many companies use Human Resource people for initial screenings and interviews, and they are given specific experience to look for. If they can't translate what you did to their terms, (and they usually can't) or if the experience doesn't match exactly they consider you unqualified. An example, after reading my resume that included battalion commander and a description of what that entailed, an HR person asked me if I thought I would be able to be in charge of a 10 person team.

But OTOH, every one of the qualities listed are exactly what enabled me to rapidly advance within the company. Once you get your foot in the door, things like your work ethic, integrity, etc will stand out. So in my experience being a vet didn't help me get in the door. But once in, it helped me excel.

Response by SFC Christopher Taggart made Jan 21 at 2016 1:51 PM

SFC Christopher Taggart — Thu, 21 Jan 2016 13:51:46 -0500

So far, it has not. Since 2011, I have returned back to college, got a Bachelors in 2014 and currently attending a Master's Degree program in Informatics...hopefully this'll get me employed.

Response by SFC John Birks made Jan 21 at 2016 4:46 PM

SFC John Birks — Thu, 21 Jan 2016 16:46:45 -0500

I'm going to say, no. I had a lot of doors shut on me before getting an entry level position. Now two years later I'm still in the same position looking for my opportunity to move up.. No special privileges or preferences. For that matter my military leadership training and experience isn't even considered.

Response by SGT Mark Rhodes made Jan 21 at 2016 7:01 PM

SGT Mark Rhodes — Thu, 21 Jan 2016 19:01:09 -0500

Bethany Duffy
There are many company that are Veteran friendly meaning they prefer to hire Vets. That list used to be pretty small but it has grown very large now. I think it is due to hiring managers know the strength that a Vet has, one being they know they will show up to work on time and in a lot of cases way before their shift starts.

Response by MAJ David Peterson made Jan 21 at 2016 10:48 PM

MAJ David Peterson — Thu, 21 Jan 2016 22:48:21 -0500

Everyone has an idea of what it means to be military. Some people have negative ideas. If you do your best in an interview and get passed over for a position because of it, you probably wouldn't have liked working there anyway.

Be, Know, Do works in every profession. They just don't know it yet.